“This is—!” Song Yanhui, atop the city gate, blanched in shock.
Years ago, when fighting alongside martial heroes against the Demon Sect, he had witnessed someone wearing a ghost mask use this exact sword technique. Their sword concealed within a paper umbrella bloomed like wildflowers—the left hand controlling seventeen blades while the right hand gripped the umbrella handle’s thin sword. They could instantly slaughter waves of Demon Sect disciples, their killing intent so overwhelming it surpassed even the demon cultists themselves, terrifying even the righteous martial artists on Song’s side.
This person reportedly belonged to no sect.
Instead, they came from Anhe [Dark River].
The most terrifying assassin organization in the world.
That person later participated in the final battle to eliminate Ye Dingzhi, the Demon Sect Leader.
Song Yanhui had once asked Li Hanyi, the Snow Moon Sword Immortal who fought alongside him, about this person. Li Hanyi had said that without him, the assassination would have surely failed. If he hadn’t been from Anhe, he would have become one of the few friends in Li Hanyi’s life. And if he had left Anhe to dedicate himself to the sword dao, the Five Great Sword Immortals should have become Six.
“The Umbrella Ghost, Su Muyu,” Song Yanhui whispered the name.
Sword Elder was shocked upon hearing this: “You’re saying this person is the Umbrella Ghost of Anhe?”
Song Yanhui shook his head: “I never saw his true face. This is merely speculation.”
“Anhe, Anhe,” Sword Elder muttered, lowering his head. “If it truly is Anhe, then everything makes sense.”
Song Yanhui frowned at these words: “What do you mean, Sword Elder? Does Anhe have some connection to our Wushuang City? And what’s its relation to Wujian City?”
Sword Elder realized he had spoken too much and shook his head: “City Lord need not inquire further. These are matters of the past.”
But Song Yanhui had already begun to piece things together. Years ago, when Wushuang City was at its peak, many masters had mysteriously disappeared. At the same time, Wujian City had been massacred in a single night. This couldn’t be a mere coincidence. Because Wushuang City had deliberately controlled the spread of information, people in the martial world hadn’t connected these events too closely. But after becoming City Lord and accessing many secret documents, Song Yanhui discovered these events had occurred on the same night. Now, with Sword Elder’s reaction, Song Yanhui could deduce it all: Wushuang City had allied with Anhe and, at a terrible cost, eliminated Wujian City. He sighed deeply: “Sword Elder, do you know why our Wushuang City’s prestige has fallen so far from its former glory?”
Sword Elder’s expression changed: “Why would City Lord say such things?”
Ignoring him, Song Yanhui continued: “Because in terms of dignity, our Wushuang City no longer deserves the name ‘Peerless.'”
Below the city gate, Su Muyu deployed the Eighteen Sword Formation, instantly trapping Liu Yunqi within.
Liu Yunqi could no longer maintain his grandmaster’s bearing. After just a few exchanges, several bloody gashes appeared on his body. His expression changed drastically: “This is the Eighteen Sword Formation! Anhe’s Eighteen Sword Formation!”
“Indeed, the world’s ultimate killing technique,” Su Muyu said coldly.
“You’re not Zhuo Yue’an, not Zhuo Yuluo’s son—you’re from Anhe!” Liu Yunqi raged. “Who sent you here?”
“Did it never occur to you that Zhuo Yuluo’s son could also become part of Anhe?” Su Muyu pressed his attack.
Liu Yunqi blocked an incoming blade, his expression shifting: “That child who escaped back then—was rescued by Anhe. The Patriarch, what does he seek?”
“You fight for profit, so profit will betray you. You have only the sword, not the dao. Thus you cannot maintain victory, and once defeated, you will have nothing,” Su Muyu declared.
“Master, the sword case—I can barely control it!” On the city wall, Wushuang was sweating profusely, both hands pressing down hard on the sword case.
“The sword case wants to acknowledge an assassin as its master?” Sword Elder exclaimed in shock.
“Impossible. The Wushuang Sword Case only recognizes one master. Unless Wushuang dies, it won’t open for anyone else. The case has merely sensed a worthy opponent and wishes to do battle,” Song Yanhui shook his head, watching the sword case. “If only you weren’t so young—such an opponent would truly be worth fighting.”
Wushuang wiped the sweat from his brow: “Master, what should we do?”
“Don’t worry, it will settle down after a while.” Song Yanhui ruffled Wushuang’s hair. “When you’re older, you can take it to find worthy opponents like this one.”
“The Former City Lord is about to lose,” Sword Elder said softly.
Song Yanhui sighed: “He was destined to lose. This defeat is merely fifteen years late. Had he lost back then, there might have been hope for recovery. But losing today means true defeat.”
“Weren’t you going to defeat me with a sword dao? Why resort to killing techniques?” Liu Yunqi attempted to provoke his opponent.
Su Muyu gave a cold laugh: “When I used sword dao against you, you forced me to use killing techniques. Now that I use killing techniques, you want me to return to sword dao. Since when could you dictate all the rules so conveniently?”
While engaging Su Muyu in conversation, Liu Yunqi secretly observed the mysteries of the Eighteen Sword Formation: “Your father was a master of sword dao. Seeing you use such pure killing techniques would surely disappoint him.”
Su Muyu remained unmoved, simply shaking his head: “I have a good friend who’s always been called thick-skinned as a city wall, but even he, upon seeing City Lord Liu, would have to sigh that Wushuang City should be renamed Shameless City.”
Liu Yunqi’s face reddened slightly: “Mere verbal sparring!”
Su Muyu’s left hand made a slight gesture, and another blade slashed Liu Yunqi’s shoulder: “Your swordsmanship falls short of my father’s from back then. Compared to Li Hanyi of Snow Moon City, you’re even further behind. My father overestimated you—you were never worthy to stand as his equal.”
Liu Yunqi burst into laughter: “You think you’ve defeated me? You’re wrong. My previous shows of weakness were merely to spot the flaws in your sword formation. The Eighteen Sword Formation, the world’s ultimate killing technique, is indeed ingenious. But alas!” Liu Yunqi spun in place, sending a blade of sword energy spiraling upward, knocking away the surrounding blades.
“Here it comes. The City Lord’s strongest strike,” Sword Elder said gravely.
“Riding the Sword to Nine Heavens!” Song Yanhui looked up.
Liu Yunqi swung his sword: “Dragon’s Cry to Yellow Springs.”
As Su Muyu’s half-mask fell to the ground, his Xiyu Sword [Fine Rain Sword] thrust forward like a rainbow piercing the sun: “It is you who shall fall to Yellow Springs. This ends now!”
“The Jade Ruyi!” Wushuang cried out as the Wushuang Sword Case sprang open, releasing a flying sword shaped like a jade ruyi scepter that shot downward.